Navigable vessel.



W. PETERSEN.

vNAVIGABLE VESSEL.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 18,1905.

. 913,973. Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WIl-ESEEE I E@ Er W. PETERSEN.

NAVIGABLE VESSEL. 1

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 1B, 1905.

913,973. Patented Mar.2,19o9.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F IG'. 4.

FIG. 7.

@BEBES I fllf @am @www www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM PETERSEN, OF GOSFORTH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO TI'IE MONITOR SHIPPING CORPORATION COMPANY LIMITED, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND.

NAVIGABLE VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PETERSEN, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, in the county of Northumberland, in the Kingdom of England, shipowner, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Navigable Vessels, for which application has been made in Great Britain, No. 1,087, dated January 19, 1905.

This invention relates to navigable vessels of all kinds. Its essential features are the peculiar curvature of the sides of the ship, and also the introduction of a superstructure when the Whole invention is carried out in its entirety;k

I will describe my invention especially as applied to vessels for carrying grain or other bu k cargoes, as from such a description it will not be diliicult to apply it to any other class of vessel. At or near the load line the ,exterior cont-our of the sides of the vessel is curved, recessed, corrugated or bulged outward and above the curves formed, the gunwale of the boat is rounded inward in order to take the sides into the plane of the ordinary deck with a full and regular curvature. A superstructure is fitted above the ordinary deck and is referably joined with or run into the normal Beam line by a curve or combination of curves of approximately circular shape and unitedly of about 180 degrees. The inwardly curved sides of the vessel are joined together by suitable beams, thus giving the effect of pillars and arches springing therefrom. Instead of using such beams however I may stiien and strengthen the sides in such a way as to produce a similar result. Above the circular or nearly circular sides I fit an upper deck to form the top of this superstructure, the height of which will be low for a vessel to carry heavy cargoes, but higher in a ship carrying grain or similar light cargoes; also the projecting deck beyond the sides of the superstructure will be small or excessive as may be required. On or above this deck is placed the navigating and anchor appliances, the requisite gear and machinery for working the cargo in and out of the vessel, hatchways, the deck houses, boats, and so forth.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l shows a perspective elevation of a vessel built in accordance with this invention with superstructure. A recess of somewhat sinuous form is arranged mostly or wholly below the waterline adapted for increasing the strength, quickening the speed and improving the seagoing conditions of stability. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the hull of a racing yacht, made in accordance with my invention; Fig. 3, the elevation of an ordinary motor launch Fig. 4 shows two half cross sections of a ship with a larger recess than that set forth in Fig. l. Fig. 5, a section of a side, showing how the recess B can be formed by a projecting gunwale and a projecting addition below formed ol plates and longitudinal stringers, Fig. 6, another section of a side showing detail of hold beam and corrugated plates; Fig. 7, section of a side in a wooden ship.

These are given as uselul illustrations, but not as confining the invention to these special forms only, and in all cases in speaking el' curves approximations thereto termed ot' straight or curved lines and angles must be held to be included. It will be observed from this improved type of mid-ship section, that the form of the vessel may be of the usual or any form below the upper bilge as at A in Fig. 4. Above this point I place one or more recesses B, the upper part in all instances curved or sloping outward to a point near the waterlinc as shown at C in Fig. 4. The side is thence curved inward joining the contour of the deck at D with a radius ol preferably about one eighth to one ninth the width of the vessel, but this radius may vary according to the character' ol' the ship. From the normal beam line ol which the line l) E lorms a part, I erect the superstructure F G II J K from the point E usually by a circle inward, vupward and outward as shown in Fig. 4, but it can be modi'lied in various ways. The extent of the outreach at J, also the height from the point J to the upper deck K and the projection of the Stringer at L will vary with the special requirements of the vessel. An important feature however is the placing ol a longitudinal girder between the plating ol the outreach and the upper deck whereby the riveting of the lates to the buttstraps can be irmly aecompllished and upper' deck greatly strengthened.

Suitable stil'ening beams such as M MP M, and web plates such as N IW and pillars such as N N:5 are )rovided l'er su i )ortine D the hull and superstructure. Web plates V may be adapted in lieu of beams M3 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Teb plates N are itted to give lateral and vertical strength to the side of the superstructure. The framing usually follows the contour of the recess as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, in addition to which stiffening stringers may be added of the various forms usually adopted according to the size and class of the vessel. n cases where there are two or more recesses or where the recesses or corrugations are small, the frames are carried on straight instead of being bent into the recesses as shown in the lower part of Fig. 5, the recesses or corrugations being formed by the plates, and in some instances strengthened by Z channel or other forms of stringers, as for instance in Fig. 5 at 2 where the plates are straight or formed with angles. In Fig. 6 the plates are also shown formed with small corrugations. The a plication illustrated in Fig. 5 is a useful p an when altering a vessel already built, and when the approximately flat plating has been removed with a View to the application of this invention. Fig. 7 shows the invention applied to a wood vessel. The recesses can go to the eXtreme ends of the vessel as set forth in Fig. l, or can stop short and gradually die out as the ship narrows at either end. The recesses are made large or small, straight or sinuous or curved to suit the various conditions of service and the speed of the vessel.

The effect of making the vessel as described above is important as the strength of the hull is greatly increased as compared with the straight sided vessels as now built, this being due to the recesses or corrugations. The curved corrugated or recessed form of section not only increases the resistance to hogging and sagging in the longitudinal strains of a ship, but also increases the strength to resist lateral strain, and will tend to a reduction in the amount of internal obstruction caused by stringers and keelsons as usually fitted in ordinary vessels, while the application of girders or stringers as indicated in Fig. 5 will tend to further reduce these obstructions. As the recessed or bulged form so materially increases the strength of the vessel both vertically and laterally, a reduction in scantling may be made While still maintaining the strength necessary and therefore reducing the weight of the ship and increasing cargo carrying capacity.

In all parallel sided vessels there is always a tendency for racking to take place between the strong bottom and the weaker sides. ln my invention, the sides are so strengthened by the inward curves that the cross section is practically of uniform strength through the bilges and up the sides to the gunwale, in fact to the normal beam line, while the superstructure serves to complete the uniformly strong vessel. In fact so much importance l is attached to the corrugationthat this inl vention also includes corrugated ships plates on ordinary frames instead of flat plates as used at present. rlhe upper portion of the side recesses and even of the small corrugations when the plates themselves are corrue gated has also a very useful effect in that it tends to throw the water outward when rolling, thereby adding to the safety of the deck cargo, and the water is prevented from entering any port holes or other apertures which might be arranged in the sides of the superstructure. Further, the eddying of the water clinging to and rolling up the vessels sides from the bottom is relieved somewhat of its attritive retardation and a sensible reduction of the total resistance of the ship is the result, thereby increasing the speed. The bulging Vform of hull adjacent to the waterline and the recess below it and even small corrugations in the plates have an effect when the vessel rolls of increasing the stability at the immersed side and decreasing the stability at the emersed side, while when the vessel at sea is not passing through bad weather; the upright condition is rendered more easy and sea-kindly by this special form of hull, Bilge keels which have been found to be a necessity with the usual flat sided vessels can obviorsly be dispensed with in a vessel having corrugatiens and recesses built to this invention, the special form tending to give the necessary purchase on the water to reduce rolling. The superstructure owing to its strong .form and its distance above the neutral axis being greater' than usual gives great strength to the vessel. The weight of scantling can therefore be reduced proportional to the increase of height, and in consideration of its strong contour. The curved sides of the superstructure are strengthened by suitable webs between the upper deck and the ordinary deck beams, thereby insuring the rigidity of the top member of the grider when the entire ship is considered as a beam. These cmisiderations of increased strength admit of a reduction in weight which when taken in eonfunction with the improved side previously mentioned will reduce the weight of the ship and therefore increase the carrying capacity of the vessel. The height of the deck of the superstructure also the amount of its projection beyond its sides are arranged to give greater surplus buoyancy and therefore greater safety. The superstructure also acts as an auxiliary bor: or feeder in the case of grain and similar cargoes by lling by gravity the shrinkage of such cargo the rounded form of gunwale and the angle or rounded base of the superstructure assisting the i'illing up and insuring the homogeneity of the cargo. The outward curvature of the upper part of the superstructure while supporting an increased width of deck also as- Ysists in diverting any water which may come ll-B to the ordinary deck level and prevent the seas reaching the superstructure deck. the superstructure is in all cases extended to the ends of the vessel without a forecastlc and poop of about the width of the vessel as usually fitted, less obstruction is encountered when the vessel enters a large head sea causing less straining to the ship and allowing better progress to be made against such seas.

In thus describing the advantages of my invention these remarks only apply in their entirety when the entire invention is used, but when the superstructure is not adopted as in the ordinary type of large and small vessels considerable advantage is obtained by adopting the recesses in the sides in increasing the speed, stability and strength. Various advantages can be attained in the application of the whole or portion of the invention to all vessels, but particularizing sailing yachts for racing and pleasure, as follows: The recess under water prevents leeway, the bulging or fullness above water increases stability when carrying large pressures of sail and bodily shifts the inertia of the load waterline over to the lee side, and therefore increases the power to prevent excessive heeling over. This is attained without diminishing the resistance of the vessel. The rounded gunwale to the ordinary deck permits of the surface water passing over instead of outside the breath of the vessel. This not only reduces the resistance by a reduction of the angle of entrance of the hull lines, but reduces resistance due to the cutting away of the hull above the rounded gunwale. There is no retarding of speed as usually occurs in a yacht built with a square gunwale when it becomes submerged on the lee side. As the upper deck is supported so far above the waterline it does not become submerged at any part so that it never exerts any drag upon the vessels progress. Moreover increased deck space can be given just where it is largely needed at the bow. On

the Windward side, the curved upper part of the superstructure carrying the upper deck prevents any but extraordinary waves breaking over the upper deck, all ordinary waves being turned and thrown back by the curved upper part ofthe superstructure if they do break over the rounded gunwale. The outward curve of the recess or recesses when exposed on the Windward side also assists in diverting the water from reaching the deck. In small vessels such as yachts and launches already built, the bulges or projections may be made by means of pneumatically inflated sheathing of any suitable material applied to the vessels sides or bottom, or to both. In new yachts or launches below the regular recess, the vessel is of approximately the usual or any suitable form, but preferably with a slight broadening below the recessed part.

I declare that what I claim is:-

1. A vessel having its sides recessed, with a groove extending over the greater part of the vessels length with a vertical breadth measured parallel to the frame, approximately four or five times greater than the depth of groove measured at right angles to the frame, such groove being practically parallel with the load water line, and being below the water line, and having the upper and lower edges of practically similar radii merging into the normal contour of the submerged vessel above and below such groove.

2. A vessel having a straight top and rounded gunwale amidships intersecting and merging into the normal shape of vessel at the bow and stern, and having a superstructure on top narrower than the lower hull but parallel therewith throughout its length until it intersects and merges into the normal bow and stern, and having the sides of the lower hull constructed with a groove formed therein substantially parallel with the longitudinal center line of the vessel amidships, said groove commencing gradually at a point abaft the stem and gradually terminating forward of the sternpost, and placed. below the normal load water line of the vessel, the form of groove being sub stantially as described and illustrated.

3. In a vessel, the combination of a hull having 4a longitudinal recess mainly below the waterline, with a rounded gunwale curving gradually into the ordinary deck, substantially as described.

4. In a vessel, the combination of the hull having a wide longitudinal recess in its side, a gunwale rounding into the recess and into the deck, and a superstructure the sides of which are formed with a curve or curves amounting to about 180 degrees rounding into the deck whereby the lower part of a wave is thrown ofl' by the contour of the lower recess, and the remainder of the wave is thrown oil by the contour of the sides of the superstructure.

5. In a vessel a longitudinal recess in the side of the hull mostly below the waterline for the main part parallel to the center line of the ship, and arranged in a sinuous form to suit the wave contour of the vessel.

6. In a vessel having recesses below the waterline adapted to dei'lect a wave, a rounded gunwale inversely rounded sides of a superstructure considerably narrower than the hull of the vessel, and an upper deck reaching outwards on each side, substantially tangential with the upper curve of the side of the superstructure.

7. In a vessel, the combination in a hull of a broad bilge and a rounded gunwale both projecting outward an equal distance beyond the part of the side of the ship between them.

S. In a vessel the combination of ordinary frames having straight sides With a projectl In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed ing gunwale and a projecting bilge iiXed to my name this 14th day of June 1905, in the the outside of these frames and strengthened. presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses. substantially as described whereby a Iongi- WILLIAM PETERSEN. tudinal recess can be formed inthe side of an ordinary or old Vessel built Without such recess. l

I/Vitnesses 1 HUBERT PUMPHREY, PERoY CORDER. 

